Cars that Disappointed

In the world of automobiles, there are hits and misses. Usually the hits last for many years, like the Chevy Corvette, Chevy Camaro, and the Ford Mustang. When the misses arrive, they may not be immediately evident, but eventually, someone will discover the flaws. These are a few of the most disappointing cars to ever hit the showrooms floors:

1961 Chevy Corvair. This car was a hit at first. Who didn’t want a modern looking car that got great gas mileage and was fun to drive? Unfortunately, the car that was designed to compete with the popular VW Beetle was loaded with design flaws. From the dangerous steering mechanisms to the fumes that would leak from the heating unit, the Corvair was a stinker disguised in an adorable package.

1971 Ford Pinto. Like the Corvair, the Pinto was a nice looking little car that filled a need. This little sister to the Mustang was quick and nimble, but it proved to be a bit overly explosive. No one needed to have a car that would explode in a rear-end collision. This car was not as disappointing as the arrogance that the Ford executives showed when they decided that it was less expensive to pay for the funerals of the victims than it was to pay to recall the cars.

1981 DeLorean DMC-12. Back to the Future references aside, the DeLorean DMC-12 was attractive, but extremely underpowered. The car was not loaded with a flux-capacitor, but it probably would be have been more fun to drive if it did come standard with one. The cars were too heavy for their Peugeot engine and once Mr. DeLorean was photographed making drug deals, no one wanted to put a DMC-12 in the garages.

1996 Plymouth Prowler. This car was one of the first retro cars to hit the streets. The Plymouth Prowler was destined to become an iconic car from its origins in the new computer design process. The Plymouth Prowler looked tough and fast, but the fact that Plymouth gave it an automatic transmission and a typical 3.5 liter V6, made it about as underwhelming as it gets. Remember, that just five years later Plymouth ceased to exist. Could the Prowler have changed that? The world will never know.